If Your To-Do List is Empty, there is No Fun

Recently, a reader of this blog made an interesting remark, which is the title of today’s post. It actually made me wonder: how happy are we if our to-do list is empty? And how full can it be until we become unhappy?

If the “Waiting” and “Work in Progress” columns are empty, that would be really strange. If it happens in your job, your boss might realize it as well. Long-term perspective: Not happy with empty list.

On the other hand, if they are too full, then you may be a victim of “Muri” waste (overburden). Especially, if the “Work in Progress” column is too full. This can lead to multitasking and reduces your effectiveness significantly.

If the “Done” column is empty, that surely is no fun.

If the “Done” column is very full, you just might want to do a little clean-up session for your board. Maybe you celebrate the occasion.

Regarding the “Blocker” or “Impediments” column it’s easy: You want to have that as empty as possible at all times. If not, focus on reducing the blockers.

Of course, this is about your day-to-day to-dos. Here is another perspective: If you have some future projects you might want to start (like writing a book or building a new rocket model), then the view changes. The extreme kind of such a to-do list is called bucket list lifestyle.

The kind of balance you want to achieve with your bucket list is surely different from a Personal Kanban board. If that list is empty, fun might be really lacking. So my advice is: